Health

Would you eat a genetically modified apple?

Health

Would you eat a genetically modified apple?

How long does it take for an apple to go brown after you bite into it? Five minutes? Ten minutes? How about 15 days? While that time frame might seem impossible (and perhaps a little unnatural), that’s exactly what a company in British Columbia is hoping to engineer. Their genetically modified non-browning apples would allow food service companies to skip the step where they treat sliced apples with antioxidants like calcium ascorbate to keep their flesh bright. The company has already grown test apples on a few acres of land in the States, where an assessment has found them mostly harmless, but much of the public is afraid that there could be potentially dangerous long-term effects to playing with nature in this way. There has already been a
petition attempting to stop the production of these genetically modified apples. And tomorrow, April 23, at 6 p.m. PST, concerned citizens can
join a Twitter Party online with the hashtag
#NoGMapple. Whether you’re for or against genetically modifying foods, you probably eat them every day without realizing it. That’s because Canadian law does not require food producers to label foods or ingredients that are genetically modified. Still, as GMO debates continue, there are steps you can take to avoid these foods. If you are nervous about the potential effects, follow these guidelines. 1. Look for
organic foods. Genetically modified foods are not permitted under the standards for organic certification. 2. Look for a non-GMO seal. There are third-party certifications that can verify a product is made without GMOs. 3. Eat fresh veggies and fruit. With only a few exceptions (such as sweet corn, edamame and zucchini), most produce is not approved to be grown from GMO seeds. 4. Limit your intake of processed foods. Many GMOs (like soy, corn, sugar beets and canola) are used as
additives in processed foods for sweeteners and thickeners.
(Photography: Geneviève Caron)